Kathmandu – The Finance Committee under the Federal Parliament and cooperative sector leaders discussed about the impact of COVID-19 crisis on economy and areas of priorities in the upcoming budget. During the discussions, leaders from the cooperatives sector said this field was one of the most affected by the crisis, calling for giving priority to this sector in the upcoming budget. National Cooperatives Federation President Meenraj Kandel advised the incorporation of programmes capable of promoting production by linking cooperatives in the budget. 

National Cooperative Bank Ltd chair KP Upreti was of the view that programmes capable of addressing problems caused by the crisis in cooperative sector should be included in the upcoming budget while Nepal Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperative Union Nepal chair Parishot Paudyal demanded a separate finance cooperative act. Agriculture Cooperatives’ Association president Khem Pathak called for revenue concessions for vehicles carrying milk and agricultural produces while Vegetables and Fruits Association chair Binod Parajuli underlined the need of establishing a vegetable and fruits cold store. Central Dairy Cooperative Association treasurer Krishna Prasad Sapkota apprised the meeting about the need of a sufficient number of factories for milk power production to utilize produced milk. He also called for declaring a separate pocket zone for cattle farming. 

Committee member Gyanednra Bahadur Karki said self-sufficiency in agriculture would be a great support in nation’s prosperity. Committee president Krishna Prasad Dahal pledged to address cooperatives’ issues in the budget. The government, through the budget, would make its best to prevent cooperatives from facing crisis in the future. ”Cooperative is the sole means of mobilizing a larger group of people at once in productive activities and all should work for its development,” he asserted.